Continuing Public Service

Education and Outreach

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STEM and Success

Education plus technology equals success. In accordance with STEM related efforts, state and nationwide, the Foundation promotes training, education and resource development for aspiring young achievers.

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TechWise Training

Our students are not just wise, but TechWise. We directly provide technological education and training through community efforts like the Apalachee Ridge Tech Center. Underexposed youth are learning the tech skills they want and need.

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Reaching Out

In addition to our “in house” efforts, the Foundation is expanding through partnerships. We provide support, equipment, training, and space for other organizations and individuals who share our passion for reaching out to the underexposed.

Two sides to the Digital Divide.

The Digital Divide You Know.

As our society has become more interconnected, Internet access is no longer a luxury, but a necessity. However, for too many Americans, their broadband Internet experience is inadequate. Specifically, individuals in unserved and underserved communities often have access that is practically inferior to those living in more affluent conditions — if they have it at all. This is the (demand side) Digital Divide.

The “Supply-Side Digital Divide”

However, there is another digital divide, one that affects the underexposed not as consumers, but as creators. Currently, many communities and individuals do not have the technological or human resources that would allow them to develop and deploy technologies and innovations that can be utilized on and with the internet. This is the “supply-side” Digital Divide.

The goal of the Foundation is to engage in activities and services that will address issues related to the supply-side digital divide.

The Projects:

TechWise Code Academy

The first session is in progress now!

Our goal is to give students the practical coding skills that are invaluable in the job market – but also to give them the insight and inspiration to be a force for good in our increasingly technologically-oriented world.

Students will receive training in:

Software Development

Web Design

Coding and Scripting

The Projects:

Community Engagement Program and Center

Today’s youth often pick up technology at a faster pace than their elders. At times, this youthful eagerness enables useful contact and engagement — though it may also result in instances of poor decision-making. As for the elders, at times they are behind with technology and need help understanding — though it is possible this late adoption reflects a level of wisdom and thoughtfulness that young people need to develop.

We aim to bring these two groups together.

The solution is a safe space, both metaphorical and physical. We aim to lead ongoing round-table discussion and workshops – led and moderated by expert technologists. We will seek individuals who both understand the complexities of the technology, as well as the particular needs and desires of the community.

Who we are.

Jane A. Marks, M.A., LMFT, LMHC, has been a practicing psychotherapist in the Tallahassee area for the past 40 years. She serves as a motivational speaker to address the needs of children and teens. She is a member of many charitable organizations and sits as a member of various boards of directors including Florida State University’s Friends of Dance, Boys Town, the Tallahassee Memorial Foundation, and San Luis Mission Foundation.

John R. Marks, III is the former Mayor of the City of Tallahassee, Florida, (2003-2014.) He served eight years on the Florida Public Service Commission and spent the last two as its Chairman. He served on the FPSC during the divestiture of AT&T and was instrumental in the implementation of the Federal Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act (PURPA). Before being appointed, he served as an Administrative Law Judge on the Commission. He has been an adjunct professor at FSU’s College of Law, teaching utility regulatory law and a faculty member of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners’ utility rate school.

John R. Marks, IV currently serves as the Chair of the Master’s in Information Technology program at Florida State University. He received his B.S. degree in 1999 from Harvard University and his Juris Doctorate in 2003 from Columbia University. He is a member of the Florida bar. He teaches information policy, legal research, web programming, communications, and project management. His career has focused on the social implications of internet broadband and new media technologies.

Farhood Basiri is the Managing Partner of Bellwether Software, a web and mobile software development company. He is a former Assistant Director of Communications & Alumni Affairs at Florida State University, and currently teaches Florida’s only mobile application development courses at a public university.

Terrance McNeil is an instructional technologist for the Florida A&M University College of Education and the Executive Director of the Community Neighborhood Renaissance Partnership, and currently manages the Apalachee Ridge Technology Learning Center for the City of Tallahassee. He has helped close the digital divide for several communities, educated thousands of students and channeled millions of dollars in resources for the purpose of community building. He currently holds a B.S. in Political Science and a Masters’ in Educational Technology, and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership at Florida A&M University.

Get Involved! Please contact us if you are interested in recieving further information.

The mission of the Jane and John Marks Foundation, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, is to improve the lives of citizens through advocacy and outreach. The Foundation recognizes a path to a creative society via sustainable economic growth and education, fueled by emerging technology.